Low Emission Development: EC-LEDS

USAID’s climate change mitigation work is helping more than two dozen countries pursue low emission growth and development via clean energy and sustainable land use. A country pursuing low emission development will grow its economy and improve the lives of its citizens, while slowing climate pollution.

Under EC-LEDS, USAID, the State Department, and other U.S. agencies work with partner countries to help develop tools and analyses to estimate GHG emissions and identify and pursue the best options for low emission growth.

This empowers countries to evaluate low emission pathways across economic sectors so they can choose the optimum path to low emission development. Visit the EC-LEDS website

Inside LEDS: Clean Energy and Sustainable Landscapes

Countries can curb emissions and pursue low emission growth and development in any sector—from energy to forests to industry to transportation. USAID provides funding for two main types of activities: clean energy and sustainable landscapes.

Clean Energy programs help countries scale up clean energy growth by building an enabling environment that will attract sustained investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Sustainable Landscapes programs support land-use practices that slow, stop and reverse loss of forests and other landscapes. This provides many co-benefits, including support for local livelihoods, watersheds and biodiversity.